STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1170-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2548

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs and Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2548, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MARINE DEBRIS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation to create a pilot program to encourage the collection and removal of man-made marine debris;

(2) Appropriate funds for the pilot program; and

(3) Appropriate funds for the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center to research and develop specialized equipment for the effective and efficient removal of plastic debris from state beaches and shorelines.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Food Industry Association, Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawai‘i, Animal Rights Hawai‘i, EcoTipping Points Project, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, and eleven individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committees find that this measure complements existing efforts by nonprofit, nongovernmental, and state agencies to remove man-made debris from the State's waters and shorelines by providing incentives for vessel crews to participate in marine debris removal.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs and Energy & Environmental Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2548, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2548, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs and Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair